"Reporting to Saint Mars! I don't know when the order was issued to the Fleet Admiral's Office. I was summoned to a meeting and only then did I learn that I was to come here to stop the Straw Hat Pirates's ambition to overthrow the world. So I can only talk about my feelings from the moment I received the order!"
" Fleet Admiral Sakazuki! After receiving the orders from the Five Elders, why didn't you gather your forces and set off immediately? Instead, you told everyone to sleep for the night before departing. What kind of logic and reasoning is that?"
Ryokugyu isn't stupid. Saint Mars had already given such an obvious hint; if he still couldn't understand, then he must be out of his mind.
When Ryokugyu was scared away by Shanks ' Conqueror's Haki in Wano Country, it was clear that Ryokugyu wasn't stupid; he did have the ability to assess the situation!
Isn't it just about finding some suspicion that Akainu is stalling for time? That's really easy to find. When a large force is moving, there are too many things to consider and prepare, so there are many loopholes to exploit. You can pick out a few and you won't be able to refute them.
Are the Five Elders people who need substantial evidence? They don't need any at all. As long as Ryokugyu's story is logical, that's enough for the Five Elders to make their judgment. Isn't that exactly what the Five Elders want?
"The order was issued hastily, many warships are on missions overseas, and there are various weapons and supplies to prepare. I don't fight unprepared battles!"
Akainu said expressionlessly. He had known all along that Ryokugyu and the Navy were not on the same side. Now that he had been betrayed, he was no longer heartbroken or angry, otherwise his fist would have turned into lava long ago!
He didn't waste any time. The Five Elders ' order was for him to stop the Straw Hat Pirates. He had already arrived with the Marines, but the Straw Hat Pirates didn't seem to have arrived yet, which meant he was too early!
However, the Five Elders preemptively switched the contents of his order, since the order was given directly to him by the Five Elders and its contents were known only to the two of them.
Now that Saint Mars is directly questioning him like this, others will only think about whether Akainu has stalled for time, ignoring the specific content of the order. And Akainu can't directly point it out, otherwise the Five Elders might deny the previous order and even accuse him of forging an imperial edict!
"That's something we can figure out. We can set off tonight, and the Marine Base in the New World can prepare supplies. Once we're deep in the New World, we can load the supplies onto our warships along the way!"
Lightly equipped warships will be faster. As for warships on missions overseas, those in the first half of the Grand Line that can catch up should set off together; those that can't shouldn't bother. They won't accomplish anything with us; it's better to send them back to Marine Headquarters.
As for the warships operating in the New World, just let them graze along our shipping lanes. We can easily gather them together without any delay. A solution can be found anywhere!
Ryokugyu does have some sophistry; what he said does make some sense, but it's mostly just theoretical talk and empty rhetoric!
Hastily planned actions generally have many flaws, which is unavoidable. What Ryokugyu said is only achievable under ideal conditions; it sounds reasonable, but in practice, it's a different story!
But that's exactly what Ryokugyu's goal is. He doesn't need to be absolutely accurate, nor can he. It's enough to give people the impression that Akainu did indeed waste a lot of time. Anyway, the Celestial Dragons and Old Star are never wrong. He just needs to find someone to take the blame!
" Aramaki! You..."
" Sakazuki! This isn't the time for that. We'll talk about your problems later. Right now, your navy must act immediately and wipe out all these Rebel Army traitors! Immediately! Right now!"
Seeing that Akainu still wanted to explain, Saint Mars immediately interrupted him. This was exactly the effect he wanted. If Akainu explained clearly, how could he maintain his authority and shift the blame?
That's enough. If this continues, he really doesn't know if Ryokugyu will be able to find any other reasons. It's best to end this topic sooner rather than later!
As for whether the navy can defeat these Revolutionary Army, that's not something he needs to worry about. At this point, the navy must stand at the forefront, even if it's completely wiped out. Lackeys are meant to be abandoned!
While the three were talking, all the naval officers of the rank of colonel and above had arrived. Those who hadn't caught up yet were simply too weak to keep up.
Akainu and the three Marine Admiral were the first to arrive, because they sensed that something might happen to the Five Elders, so they rushed over as quickly as possible, but they were still too late, so Ryokugyu was quite exasperated!
While the older generation, including Garp and Sengoku, sensed these things and were capable of rushing there quickly, they still traveled at a leisurely pace alongside the Vice Admiral!
Who cares about the Five Elders ' life or death? They're just parasites on the world. They can't attack the World Government themselves, but it's perfectly legitimate for outsiders to do so. Anyway, Garp's lips haven't left his mouth since he saw Dragon kill one of the Five Elders!
Although this second batch of marines hadn't yet arrived at the battlefield, they had all witnessed Nusjuro's death firsthand. In that situation, who would miss a battle between such powerful figures?
Therefore, the high command of the Navy had already witnessed the scene of Nusjuro, one of the Five Elders, being defeated in one move.
Apart from the older generation, the others, after their initial shock, felt a sense of unease. It seemed that the Five Elders weren't much different from them; aside from being stronger, they could also be killed!
After hearing Saint Mars's words, Akainu did not immediately give the order. The Revolutionary Army members had already gathered together, but he also needed to seek the help of veteran powerhouses like Sengoku and Garp!
Relying on him, the Fleet Admiral, and the Three Admirals to fight the Revolutionary Army? He felt it was a bit much; even the four Five Elders couldn't do it!
He had witnessed the battles between the Five Elders and the Revolutionary Army. Not to mention Dragon and Sabo, each of them could hold their own against one of the Five Elders. Dragon even defeated Nusjuro in one move. With that kind of fighting power, he had no confidence in defeating them!
The remaining Seraphim completely suppressed the two remaining Five Elders. If it weren't for the Five Elders' strange ability to regenerate, they would probably have been killed long ago!
But their navy doesn't have that capability. If they were surrounded by Seraphim, what would be the point of fighting? They might as well just wait to die. He didn't think that the Vice Admiral at headquarters could stop the Seraphim; many people would definitely die!
Therefore, Akainu can only pin his hopes on the older generation. Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr were at least Admiral- level fighters in their youth, or even stronger. Even now, though they are old and frail, they are still far superior to the Headquarters Vice Admiral. They should have no problem holding off some Seraphim.
However, these older generation members are semi-retired in the navy and are no longer officially part of the navy. He cannot force an order; he can only see if the other party is willing to take action!
" Sakazuki! You can't count on us old folks, we're all practically on our deathbeds, we can't fight anymore, we really can't! The Navy still needs you young people!"
Ignoring the pleading look in Akainu's eyes, Sengoku refused without hesitation. He was slightly older than Garp, and he had not yet broken through to the God Realm, making him a true 90-year-old man. Although he still had fighting power, he was definitely no match for Akainu and the others!